Conference USA expects two new bowl games in South Florida

Dieter KurtenbachSun Sentinel

IRVING, Texas — Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said Wednesday at his league's media day that two new South Florida bowl games — one at Marlins Park in Miami and the other at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton — are "probable."

Banowsky said that Conference USA has vetted FAU Stadium for a bowl game, calling the situation "perfect."

"We've looked at that very carefully, and it's a great setup," Banowsky said. "In a bowl game, what you need is a really nice facility, you need a nice destination and you need some quality hotel opportunities and student athlete opportunities. Certainly Palm Beach, Boca Raton is perfect for that."

Banowsky declined to extrapolate on Conference USA's involvement in a possible Marlins Park game because the venue is not run by a member institution.

FIU atheltic director Pete Garcia told the school's Board of trustees last month that he was pushing to put a game in the ballpark. The American Athletic Conference has also expressed interest in the venue for a new bowl game.

AAC commissioner Mike Aresco told the Tampa Bay Times on July 10 that the league was "moving pretty steadily on that, and we think it's very likely to happen for Miami."

Aresco cited the Big Ten and Pac-12 as possible bowl game partners — a tie-in which would leave FIU and Conference USA with little to show for their efforts.

An FIU spokesperson couldn't comment on the situation Wednesday.

Conference USA has six bowl tie-ins for the 2013 season. Banowsky couldn't commit to the league maintaining that number in 2014 and beyond.

"Whether it's six, I'm not sure," he said. "We'll have to see how it all plays out over the next 90 days."